Principal Engineer

Principal Hardware Engineer Overview Senior hands-on role responsible for the physical delivery and lifecycle management of infrastructure across data centres, build labs, and office environments. This role combines deep technical expertise with on-site leadership, risk ownership, and responsibility for engineering standards in critical environments. Key Responsibilities Infrastructure Delivery Lead and execute physical build, installation, relocation, and decommissioning of servers, storage, and network hardware Own rack layouts, structured cabling, patching, labelling, and cable management standards Coordinate power, cooling, and space planning with facilities and design teams Oversee logistics, manual handling, and on-site hardware movements Risk, Safety & Change Produce and maintain RAMS for engineering activities Identify operational risks and implement mitigations Operate within formal Change Management processes, including CAB participation for data centre works Enforce health and safety standards on site Documentation & Compliance Maintain accurate asset records and site documentation Support audits and compliance requirements including ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and PCI-DSS Project Support Work with project managers, architects, and third parties to deliver infrastructure projects Provide technical input for data centre migrations, expansions, and refresh cycles Experience & Skills Required Experience 5+ years in data centre operations or infrastructure engineering Strong knowledge of commodity compute, storage, and networking hardware Advanced understanding of data centre best practice Experience producing and working to RAMS in critical environments Structured cabling expertise (Cat6/6a, OM3/OM4, fibre) Working knowledge of power distribution, PDUs, and load balancing Skills Methodical, accurate, and calm under pressure Clear communicator with engineers, customers, and stakeholders Takes ownership of on-site decisions and outcomes Able to prioritise workload across multiple activities Vetting & Practical Requirements Clean manual driving licence Valid passport Ability to pass BS7858 vetting Eligibility for UK SC clearance (5 years UK residency) Willingness to travel to UK and overseas sites Flexibility to work nights and weekends when required